Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part I. Africa through the farming systems lens: context and approach / John Dixon, Dennis Garrity, Jean-Marc Boffa, Adama Coulibaly, Medhat El-Helepi, Chris Auricht and George Mburathi -- Methods and data sources / Christopher M. Auricht, John Dixon, Jean-Marc Boffa, Harrij van Velthuizen and Günther Fischer -- Part II. Analysis of farming systems -- Maize mixed farming system: an engine for rural growth and poverty reduction / Malcolm Blackie, John Dixon, Maxwell Mudhara, Joseph Rusike, Sieglinde Snapp and Mulugetta Mekuria -- Agro-pastoral farming systems: achieving resilience under duress? / Jean-Marc Boffa, Minamba Bagayoko, John Sanders, Pierre Hiernaux, Shadreck Ncube and Justice Nyamangara -- The highland perennial farming system: sustainable intensification and the limits of farm size / J.K. Lynam -- The root and tuber crop farming system: diversity, complexity and productivity potential / Samuel Adjei-Nsiah, Godwin Asumugha, Emmanuel Njukwe and Malachy Akoroda -- The cereal-root crop mixed farming system: a potential bread basket transitioning to sustainable intensification / Amir Kassam, Eric Kueneman, Rosemary Lott, Theodor Friedrich, NeBambi Lutaladio, David Norman, Martin Bwalya, Anne-Sophie Poisot and Saidi Mkomwa -- The highland mixed farming system of Africa: diversifying livelihoods in fragile ecosystems / Tilahun Amede and Mulugeta Lemenih -- The tree crop farming system in the humid lowlands of Africa: stagnation, innovation and forest degradation / Jim Gockowski -- The pastoral farming system: balancing between tradition and transition / Jan de Leeuw, Philip Osano, Mohammed Said, Augustine Ayantunde, Sikhalazo Dube, Constance Neely, Anton Vrieling, Philip Thornton and Polly Ericksen -- The fish-based farming system: maintaining ecosystem health and flexible livelihood portfolios / Olivier Hamerlynck, Wanja Dorothy Nyingi, Jean-Luc Paul and Stéphanie Duvail -- The forest-based farming system: highly diverse, annual and perennial systems under threat / Stefan Hauser, Lindsey Norgrove, Eric Tollens, Christian Nolte, Valentina Robiglio, and James Gockowski -- Large-scale irrigated farming system: the potential and challenges to improve food security, livelihoods and ecosystem management / Timothy Olalekan Williams, Jean-Marc Faurès, Regassa Namara and Katherine Snyder -- The arid pastoral and oasis farming system: key centres for the development of trans-Saharan economies / Mahamadou Chaibou and Bernard Bonnet -- Perennial mixed and island farming systems: exploiting synergies for maximum system productivity / M. Mudhara, J.P. Lombard, A.R. Palmer and J. Dixon -- Urban and peri-urban farming systems: feeding cities and enhancing resilience / Diana Lee-Smith, Gordon Prain, Olufunke Cofie, René van Veenhuizen and Nancy Karanja -- Part III. Synthesis and conclusions -- Farming and food systems potentials / John Dixon, Jean-Marc Boffa, Timothy Olalekan Williams, Jan de Leeuw, Günther Fischer and Harrij van Velthuizen -- Ways forward: strategies for effective science, investments and policies for African farming and food systems / John Dixon, Dennis Garrity, George Mburathi, Jean-Marc Boffa, Tilahun Amede and Timothy O. Williams -- Conclusions: implementation of the farming systems approach for African food security / Dennis Garrity, John Dixon and George Mburathi.